Rich on the nose, offering hints of cognac, dried fruit, honey and truffle, but dry and focused on the palate, with the fine, lacy texture carrying the rich flavour profile through to the lasting finish of salted almond. Drink now through 2021. 94 points, (10/2014).
This powerful, sinewy wine possesses a striking combination of soaring aromatics and deep, rich fruit all buttressed by notable structure. The ripe tropical fruit is intermingled with sweet notes of oak, flowers and minerals in a gorgeous expression of Chardonnay. Although the wine already shows some pretty signs of early tertiary complexity, there is more than enough vibrancy and freshness to ensure at least a decade of very fine drinking. 94 points, The Wine Advocate (12/2008).
Light, bright yellow. A complex, mineral-driven bouquet displays scents of lemon curd, pear skin, fresh pineapple and marzipan, with a floral quality that strengthens with air. Dry but showing no hard edges, offering sappy orchard fruit and citrus flavours, with notes of honeysuckle and allspice. Very complex now but this wine’s nervy spine of acidity bodes well for extended cellaring. 93 points, International Wine Cellar (12/2010).
Located 150 km east of Paris, Champagne is the French wine region renowned for producing the finest, most rich and complex sparkling wines in the world. The elegance, longevity and racy acidity of these wines are attributed to the influence of the chalky soils of the region and the cool, marginal continental climate. The region spans an area of 35,000 ha and has 4 main growing areas, each favouring one of the three noble Champagne varieties; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Champagne has a vineyard quality hierarchy based on the soils, aspect and overall quality of the grapes. Like Burgundy, these quality designations are allocated to the vineyards of the village. Of the 319 villages of Champagne, 17 have Grand Cru status and 44 villages are designated Premier Cru. All Champagne is produced by Traditional Method. The vast majority of Champagne is a blend of the three varieties and may also be a blend of several vintages producing the popular Non Vintage (NV) house styles. Top quality blends from exceptional years are sold as Vintage (Millésime) Champagne.
